Warrington Walks In Champion And Underdog

Josh Warrington puts his IBF featherweight title on the line on Saturday night against Carl Frampton, and while he’s the champion walking into Manchester Arena, he feels that he still has to keep “proving people wrong.”

Warrington earned his world title at Elland Road earlier this year, there are those who doubt the legitimacy due to former champion Lee Selby struggling to make weight for the fight.

While the defending champion dismisses being made the underdog by oddsmakers, he knows the pressure is on him and looks to silence doubters on December 22nd.

“I thought winning a world title would announce me on the world stage but I guess not,” the champion told reporters on fight week, “I guess you keep on fighting the big names and proving people wrong.”

“To beat Lee Selby and Carl Frampton back-to-back in the same year would be some achievement. Carl has got a massive profile worldwide and a good win and people will start to know who Josh Warrington is.

“But there’s no pressure. I’m not meant to win, am I? I’m just meant to turn up, wave at the crowd and that’s it. But I always upset the party.”

For Frampton, this marks a turning point for the northern Irishman, making his first title challenge since losing to Leo Santa Cruz nearly two years ago. Since the decision loss in January 2017, Frampton has made some changes to how he trained and his management, righting the ship with three straight wins to put him across the ring from the IBF titlist.

Speaking of his challenger, Warrington, said: “[Frampton]’s a former world champion and former pound-for-pound fighter and Ring Fighter of the Year – that’s some accolade. You can’t get those credentials without being a decent fighter.

“He’s going to want it. It could be his last throw of the dice so he’s going to give absolutely everything. But we’re prepared for that and I’m prepared for anything that he can bring.”